A heated online exchange has erupted between Afrobeats star Davido and Hausa singer Aminu “Rarara” after a dispute over Davido’s World Cup countdown performance outfit featuring the names of abducted schoolchildren from Oyo State.

Davido had performed on June 10 wearing a customised jacket inscribed “Bring Them Home” alongside the names of more than 40 abducted students and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area, drawing global attention to the kidnapping incident.

While the gesture was widely praised by Nigerians, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, it also triggered criticism from Rarara, a singer known for his alignment with APC political events.

In a video shared on his verified Facebook page, Rarara described Davido’s action as inappropriate and accused him of politicising a sensitive national security issue.

“I do not usually reply or react to issues like this, but what Davido did was barbaric,” he said, arguing that the move risked projecting insecurity in a way that could damage Nigeria’s global image.

He further questioned Davido’s intentions, suggesting the act may have been influenced by political tensions involving the singer’s family connections.

“Is it because his uncle is contesting an election on Accord Party and Tinubu is in APC? Is that why insecurity must become a campaign tool?” Rarara asked.

Davido, however, responded on X (formerly Twitter) with a short, mocking post that escalated the tension further. Quoting Rarara’s video, he simply wrote: “Debidooo.”

The response quickly went viral, with many social media users interpreting it as a playful jab at the singer’s pronunciation of his name.

Rarara replied sharply with a Hausa phrase, “Kashiga taitayinka,” loosely translated as “Come back to your senses,” further intensifying the exchange.

Davido then escalated the back-and-forth with a direct response in Hausa, writing: “Da ace kana da ilimi da na tsaya nayi magana dakai. Ama komai baka sani ba, sakarai kawai,” which translates to: “If only you had knowledge, I would have stopped to speak with you. But you know nothing, just a fool.”

The online spat has since sparked mixed reactions, with supporters on both sides debating whether Davido’s World Cup tribute was a powerful advocacy gesture or an inappropriate politicisation of a national tragedy.